Tensions gripped Delhi’s Mangolpuri area after a mob of around 25-30 people brutally stabbed a Bajrang Dal activist named Rinku Sharma on February 10 (Wednesday). The 26-year-old deceased, who was stabbed in his house in front of his family members, was actively involved with the Hindu outfit and was a part of the donation drive being carried out by Bajrang Dal for contributing towards the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
According to a report by Hindi daily Jagran, police have arrested the four assailants, who entered Rinku’s house late on Wednesday night and killed him in cold blood. The arrested assailants have been identified as Mohammad Islam, Danish Nasruddin, Dilshan and Dilshad Islam, according to social media posts.
Rinku Sharma was a resident of Delhi’s Mangolpuri area. Besides rendering his voluntary service to the Hindu organisation, Rinku Sharma worked as a lab technician in a hospital in Paschim Vihar. The young activist was survived by his mother Radha Devi, father Ajay Sharma and brothers Ankit and Manu Sharma.
It is being reported that the incident was a fallout of an argument between the Bajrang Dal activist and the assailants over the construction and the money the Hindu outfit was collecting for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. According to the relatives of the deceased, an awareness rally was organized in the area, last month, regarding the construction of Ayodhya’s Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. During this rally, the assailants had got into a dispute with Rinku Sharma, who had been collecting funds for the construction of Ram Mandir. Later, the dispute was resolved after some people of the area intervened.
On the day of the incident, Rinku Sharma once again ran across the assailants in a birthday party, where they reportedly got into a tussle again.
The victim’s father told Sudarshan TV that on Wednesday night, around 25-30 persons knocked on the door. After they were let in, they attacked his son Rinku Sharma, and his younger son Ankit was also attacked. He said that the attackers kicked them around, stabbed Rinku, and vandalised the house.
He also said that the attackers were armed with knives and lathis. Rinku’s brother also recounted how the assailants mercilessly attacked his elder brother Rinku with sharp knives. They then fled, leaving Rinku seriously injured. Rinku was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Mangolpuri, where he succumbed to his injuries at 12 noon on Thursday.
A video of the incident has also emerged, which shows the mob attacking the family and then killing Rinku Sharma. They also tried to snatch an LPG cylinder, perhaps to use it as a weapon.
CCTV footage from outside the house also shows several people entering the house, armed with knives and lathis.
